معرفی
Dr. Patricia M Risica is an Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences and of Epidemiology at Brown School of Public Health, where she serves as the Director of Undergraduate Studies. She holds dual appointments in the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences and the Department of Epidemiology, reflecting her interdisciplinary research focus that bridges public health, nutrition, and behavioral sciences.
Dr. Risica earned her B.S. from Ohio State University and completed both her MPH and DrPH at Johns Hopkins University. Her academic journey has positioned her as a leading researcher in nutritional epidemiology and public health interventions, with a career trajectory that has consistently focused on vulnerable populations and health disparities.
Her research spans several critical public health domains with particular emphasis on nutritional epidemiology, breastfeeding practices, obesity and eating behaviors, body fat distribution, and smoking cessation during pregnancy. A distinctive feature of her work is the focus on specific populations including pregnant women, young children, African American women, and Alaska Natives. Her research often addresses multiple health issues simultaneously, such as examining the intersection of sleep patterns, dietary intake, and maternal health outcomes.
The analysis of Dr. Risica's recent publications reveals a strong trend toward community-based interventions, particularly in family childcare settings and among underserved populations. Her work frequently employs mixed methods approaches, combining quantitative epidemiological techniques with qualitative insights to develop culturally tailored interventions. There is a clear progression in her research toward examining the social determinants of health, particularly how neighborhood characteristics, social vulnerability, and environmental factors influence dietary behaviors and health outcomes.
- Deans Award for Excellence in Mentoring, Brown University School of Public Health (2020)
- Food and Nutrition Section Chair Award, American Public Health Association (2005)
- Deans Award for Excellence in Teaching, Brown University School of Medicine (2003)
- Elsa Orent Keiles Fellowship in Biochemistry and Human Nutrition (1997)
- Lydia J. Roberts Fellowship in Public Health Nutrition (1992)
Dr. Risica has served as Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator on numerous significant research grants, including NIH-funded projects focused on improving nutrition environments in family childcare settings (Healthy Start studies), interventions to reduce environmental tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy (Baby's Breath), and culturally tailored mindfulness interventions for Black women. Her collaborative work extends beyond academia to include substantial partnerships with the Rhode Island Department of Health, where she serves as Epidemiologist and Evaluator for the Women's Cancer Screening Program. She maintains active leadership roles in professional organizations including the Rhode Island Public Health Association, where she has served as President.
Her laboratory and research team focus on developing and evaluating community-based public health interventions, particularly those targeting early childhood nutrition environments and maternal-child health outcomes. Current projects include culturally tailored mindfulness interventions for Black women, combined tobacco smoke avoidance and breastfeeding encouragement programs, and studies examining the impact of food environments on children's dietary intake in family childcare settings.
